What Railing Options Do You Offer, and How Much Do They Affect the Price?

Hey folks! This is the team at Euro Decks.

Welcome to another Q&A session where we answer questions from you all on the internet.

Today's question is:

"What Railing Options Do You Offer, and How Much Do They Affect the Price?"

Summary:

The owner explains that railing is the single biggest cost variable in any deck project, both in terms of how much railing is needed and which type is chosen. Eliminating the need for railing where possible, such as through stairs or a bench, can save money. He ranks the options from most to least expensive: glass railing, which is also the highest maintenance and his least favorite; composite railing, similarly costly; stainless steel cable railing, a personal favorite with a clean look and minimal maintenance at a mid-range price point; powder-coated aluminum railing, the most popular and cost-efficient option that looks modern and requires no maintenance; and wood railing, the cheapest option but one he never recommends since it defeats the purpose of choosing a low-maintenance composite deck and often fails faster than the decking itself. In some cases, he notes, railing can even cost more than the deck.

Answer:

That's a great question. I tell people every single day that railing is the biggest cost variable of your entire project. I say variable very specifically because the more railing you have, and the type of railing you choose, is going to dramatically affect the cost of your deck. Anywhere you can eliminate needing railing, whether that's with stairs or a bench, is going to save you money. As for the type of railing, there's a dramatic difference in cost. The most expensive is glass railing, which is also my least favorite because it's the most expensive and the only option that requires quite a bit of maintenance to keep clean. The next most expensive is composite railing, which once again isn't one I recommend a lot because it's so pricey. The next option down, which is very popular, is stainless steel cable railing, and that's one of my favorites. It's beautiful, there's essentially no maintenance, and it sits right in the middle as far as cost. Below that is probably the most popular option, and the one I recommend most, which is powder-coated aluminum railing. It looks like a black metal, it's maintenance-free, it looks modern and tasteful, it goes with any type of deck, and it's very cost-efficient for any railing that isn't wood. Below aluminum, you can go with classic wood railing, which I never recommend to anyone, because the whole point of a composite deck is getting away from the maintenance that comes with wood. If you do wood railing, you're going to deal with all the same issues you'd have with wood decking, and often the railing fails even quicker and requires more upkeep than the deck itself. In some cases, I've done decks where the railing actually costs more than the deck itself. That's rare, but what's not rare is that railing is always the biggest cost variable of the deck, period.